Alternative Names Saffron Walden Bridewell, Saffron Walden House of Correction
Prison Type Local Prison - House of Correction/Bridewell
Jurisdiction Municipality
Date opened 1798
Date closed [1840]
Location workhouse, on High Street Saffron Walden
Map location exact or closely approximate
County Essex
Originally a bridewell attached to the workhouse, with a separate town gaol located in the town hall (ID 245). Possibly rebuilt in 1818, when the bridewell also took on some of the functions of the town gaol. Last appears in the penal statistics for 1840 (even though the adjoining workhouse seems to have been badly damaged by fire in 1835 and subseqently abandoned).
Alternative Names Saffron Walden Bridewell, Saffron Walden House of Correction
Prison Type Local Prison
Jurisdiction Municipality
Date opened 1798
Date closed [1840]
Location workhouse, on High Street Saffron Walden
Map location exact or closely approximate
Lat. 52.0224317 Long. 0.2369216
County Essex
Originally a bridewell attached to the workhouse, with a separate town gaol located in the town hall (ID 245). Possibly rebuilt in 1818, when the bridewell also took on some of the functions of the town gaol. Last appears in the penal statistics for 1840 (even though the adjoining workhouse seems to have been badly damaged by fire in 1835 and subseqently abandoned).
Year 1818
Annual Committed - 16
Daily Greatest number - 8
Year 1832
Annual Committed - 3
Daily Greatest number - 3
Year 1838
Annual Confined - 39
Daily Census - 6
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/BRE6/15
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Circular letter from Whitehall to 'The Keeper of the (blank)', endorsed with draft reply
Dates: 1833
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/BRL6/3
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Correspondence relating to borough prisoners, mainly concerned with their maintenance in the County Gaol (including papers relating to a special case)
Dates: 1828-1856
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/PAR1/119
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Letter - request from Secretary of State for information on gaols and houses of correction, with reply
Dates: 1831
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/QSS5/37
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Request from Home Office about alterations to the borough prison, which was a condition of holding separate Quarter Sessions for borough
Dates: 1836-1837
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/BRL6/6
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Letter from Secretary of State to Town Clerk, offering Quarter Sessions on the condition that a secure prison is provided, and draft acceptance
Dates: 1836
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/PAR1/90-117
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Bills of the Keeper of the Gaol and House of Correction, including conveying prisoners to Springfield Gaol and convict ships
Dates: 1820-1846
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/QSS5/42
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Vouchers (gaoler, police, coroner, etc)
Dates: 1835-1839
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/PAR1/122
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Receipts for prisoners (vagrants)
Dates: 1833
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/PAR1/123
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Account for conveying prisoners to Gaol
Dates: 1840
Archive name: Essex Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/B 2/BRL2/30
Collection: Saffron Walden Borough
Description: Draft letter to Samuel Francis terminating his services as Gaolor
Dates: 1854
